


rescued from a puddle of gasoline

by grandmas_ghost (nap_princess)



Series: run away!Sasuke [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Bad Ending, F/M, Modern AU, Underage Drinking, school au, some violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-09 19:16:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14722029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nap_princess/pseuds/grandmas_ghost
Summary: "You always say you'll go but you don't and I'm tired of it, Sasuke-kun. I'm tired. If you must go then just go already." / He didn't come back– SasuSaku if you squint, modern angst AU, Sasuke-centric





	rescued from a puddle of gasoline

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Idle Town](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/382706) by Conan Gray. 



** rescued from a puddle of gasoline **

* * *

 This town will never change,  
People come and go, it's all the same,  
Speed the roads on our doubting days,  
To any place that's far away,  
I never learned anybody's name,  
We all vowed that we wouldn't stay.

 – **Conan Gray** , _Idle town_

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha believes he and Sakura Haruno will never see eye to eye. They were too different.

She was all pastels, frilly collared shirts and ornaments in her pink hair; hairclips, ribbons and headbands. Vibrant green eyes, a straight winning smile and photographic memory. While he was all angst and anger and shrouded in bullshit rumours that rendered him a mystery. Dark hair and dark eyes and a family with a dark secret.

Yet, for some strange reason, she was the one person he would go to when shit hit the fan.

Even more stranger, Sakura never turned him away. Never slammed the door in his face or closed the curtains on him or locked her bedroom window.

She just silently accepts his wounds and blood stained shirts and dirty sneakers that tracked mud all over her lovely mint coloured rug. Sakura would fix Sasuke up and let him brood on her floor while she would go back to her work and homework and eraser fluff from trial and error notes.

"Please don't leave Konoha," Sakura had said one night. Blue study lamp illuminating her Science textbook.

Sasuke didn't reply. Instead, he just frowned because, as smart as Sakura was, she won't ever get him. She'll never understand.

Because Sasuke knows what a chance looks like. It wasn't Ino who would end up working in _Yamanaka Flower Shop_ or the Hyuuga cousins who would end up stuck behind desks at their family cooperation or Kiba who would end up inheriting his sister's pet shop.

It was Sakura Haruno.

Sakura who had the brains and the qualifications to live elsewhere.

"No," He answered her that night they were thirteen. Young and reckless. The wild youth with a hundred and one different type of mismatched band-aids stuck on his cuts and scrapes. "No, I'll continue to run until they can't catch me."

"Why – "

But he goes before she can finish her question. Out the window – a soon to be ritual he would fall into bi-monthly.

Her green eyes find themselves glaring at the reflection of their window. She doesn't understand him. She doesn't understand herself. They're not even friends. Why is she helping him?

* * *

He wanted out but his family didn't. The Uchiha family had ideals and goals and a tradition to keep. They had to keep their family business running. They had to glorify themselves and keep their family's name clean and polished. They couldn't have family members like Sasuke – wild and rebellious and ready to run. He had run away so many times that you couldn't add up the number if you tried and he won't stop until he's out.

Each time Sasuke would try his best and each time he would fail. Never being able to step out of Konoha.

The young ones that were fed bullshit – his cousins – about needing to stay and needing to stop anyone who would want to leave, because those who leave are lesser than them. They would find Sasuke, they would beat him up for trying to run away before fleeing from the scene of the crime. They wouldn't stop him from his plans afterwards because they knew Sasuke would be too hurt to leave. It was a taunt as if to say, _You'd end up in square one. You'll end up back here anyways._

It was a cycle where his cousins would beat him up to show him who's boss and to show him he can't keep acting like this. That he had to grow the fuck up and face the facts that he'll be locked to this land forever. That his future is here and not out there. Like a bird changed, just looking up at the sky. He belonged in Konoha where the Uchiha family business was and nowhere else.

And after being tossed around like a rag doll, Sasuke would retreat to Sakura's. He knew he couldn't just walk back home, tail between his legs and head hung low. No. He had to put on a façade and give Itachi enough time to know about the news before his older brother would come up with a speech of how Sasuke would change and how he's just silly.

He always went to Sakura's because no one would ever suspect the pink haired girl. Because Sasuke had never spoken to her in school or outside of school or even when he was battered and miserable and blinking angry tears at her glow-in-the-dark ceiling stickers.

"Stop running away," She had said, a far away memory.

"No," He answered childishly, bruised eye staring at her shoulder length hair.

Sakura snapped at him. "You're so dumb."

"I'm not." He insisted.

"Yes, you are. Look at you! You're a mess,"

"Not everyone can be smart like you, Haruno." Sasuke snipped back.

"I don't care that not everyone's like me." She almost shouted. "I just wish you were smart enough to see that you're being stupid and admit it."

* * *

"Uchiha family disappointment speakin'," He answered slurry, obviously intoxicated beyond belief.

"Sasuke-kun?" She answered back, confusion and confusion laced in her voice. She had given him her number ages ago but he's never once bothered to call her. Never ever. Not even once.

The sound of Sakura pushing herself up from bed could be heard from the other line.

"Sakura?" He said back, suddenly happy. "Sakura, hi! What's good? Hellooo!"

"It's three AM," She said, wanting to yell at him so bad. She would have if she wasn't so tired. "Why did you call me? Are you alright?"

"What?"

"You called me." Sakura rephrases, quick as if she's trying to decode the meaning behind him. "You called me a minute ago and when you didn't call back, I thought – I thought your cousins had –" She doesn't dare finish her sentence. Because everyone knows about the Uchihas yet no one does anything to stop them from beating Sasuke to a pulp because they label Sasuke as nothing but a no good misfit. "I got worried and –"

Sasuke argues like a child on the other line. "No, I didn't!"

"What?"

"I didn't call you."

She sighed irritably then tells him, voice raised a little, "Yes, you did! Did you butt dial me?"

"Whaaat? Nooo," Sasuke answered, words stretched out annoyingly. "At least, not that I can remember. I don't exactly know what I'm doing –"

"Where are you?" Sakura cuts in.

"Uhh ... on the street? I think? Outside this convenient store. It's too bright for me to read so – Uhh ..."

" _Sasuke!_ " She snarled, catching on his drunkenness.

"Yeaaaahhhh?"

" _You!_ " She snapped. "Are you – fucking – God! Are you drunk?"

They're just fifteen, Goddamn it! _Just_ fifteen. Why does shit have to happen?

"Noooo," He replied then laughs into his phone. "I'm not fucking God."

"I cannot believe you right now!" Sakura shouted, she's upset. She doesn't even care if her parents wake up and scream at her. She wants to be over. She wants to be over this nonsense. "Don't call me!" She said. "Don't ever call me EVER again!"

Then the phone clicks and the call dies.

* * *

He had tried to run away, again. Get out of this dumb town.

The idea of leaving had always lingered around in his mind like his brain was constantly running in a marathon. He hated this place. He was about to leave at age sixteen. He was so close too.

Just one journey away. He just needed to bolt from the gas station. Sasuke had already killed the engine and pumped his motorcycle with gas when his cousins had stepped out of their polished cars and surrounded him. They had yelled at him for soiling the name and punched him.

They thought by hurting him, they could feel more important. But they weren't important. They **never** were. His cousins and everyone else willing to stay were just confined to this run down, sad excuse for a town.

Sasuke was left there on the ground with a bloodied face and, black and blue bruises until Naruto came with the others. Sasuke remembers how Naruto had shouted that stupid nickname the blonde had given him. That stupid shit. That stupid blonde boy who always came to Sasuke's rescue, the one who had self-proclaimed himself as Sasuke's best friend. A title that meant nothing to Sasuke. Nothing at all because Sasuke knew and Naruto knew and _everyone_ knew Sasuke would drop everyone in this town at a drop of a hat just to leave leave leave. The boys had rescued him from a puddle of gasoline.

But Sasuke didn't feel grateful. He felt angry because; no. _No_ , he didn't want help. He didn't want anyone touching him. He didn't want anyone to see him like this.

"Where are you going?!" Neji had asked, pale eyes glaring as Sasuke staggers to his feet.

"Anywhere but here!" Sasuke had answered sharply.

"You asshole!" Kiba had said through clenched teeth, his hands were formed into fists. If Sasuke didn't look so bruised, he would have socked the Uchiha himself. Kiba didn't like how Sasuke would always blow off his friends like this. He didn't like how the boys would always find Sasuke in that sorry state.

Shikamaru ran a hand through his hair and muttered, "This is troublesome", while Choji chewed the inside of his cheek in the background.

"Why can't you just stay?!" Naruto asked. "Why can't you just be here with us?!"

"You wouldn't understand!" Sasuke had yelled back at them – his friends – before hopping back on his motorcycle and speeding away.

Because in Sasuke's mind, he wasn't like them. He wasn't like anyone in this God damn death hole. He told himself he could amount to anything. _Anything_ if he just escapes and never looks back. He could be anything but this town couldn't offer him anything.

* * *

"Stop running away," She had hissed at him, slapping on the fifth band-aid on him. Her words echoed like it did years ago.

"Or what?" He asked. "You'd stop treating me?"

A vein pulses against her forehead. Sakura said, "You're a jerk-face, you know that? You come here, interrupting my lunch and –"

"Save the speech." He cuts in. "I've heard it all."

Sakura pounds her fist on her desk. _Her desk_ that's littered with first-aid supplies. She puffs up her cheeks and turns her swivelling chair away. One second passes. Then five then ten then –

"Sakura," He called out, voice monotone and relaxed.

She scowled at him, green eyes sharper than ever. She answered in a growl, "What?"

He forces her to turn around by grabbing her swivelling chair and making her face him.

"What?" Sakura snapped at him again.

"You have sauce on your face." He said and gestured to the side of her mouth.

She lowers her angry eyes and wipes her right cheek free from any messy evidence.

"Other side." He told her cheekily.

And Sakura wipes her left cheek, a little embarrass and angry that she got it wrong the first time. She checks her hand to see any traces but sees nothing.

"I lied," Sasuke laughed, hiding his smile behind a palm.

She doesn't hesitate to smack him on the shoulder, he doesn't even wince despite the pain. He smirks because he knows no matter how angry she is at him, she'll always listen.

.  
.  
.

(But he won't ever listen to her)

* * *

"What do you think of that Haruno chick?" A voice had asked his friend.

Sasuke perks up at this, suddenly attentive. He sat on the pavement, drinking down a slushie and minding his own business. It's not his fault that he catches people talking shit, okay?

Sasuke takes a peek at them. They were both big, bulky and tall; probably students in the wrestling team.

The guy's friend shrugged. He said, "Meh, I don't like her. She seems like a bitch who can't do anything but read and be a teacher's pet. I tried to talk to her once and she just blanked me."

"Whatever, man. She'll just end up as a useless librarian or something. What else is she good for anyways?"

"Motherfucker," Sasuke's voice grumbles low and dangerous.

One of the boys meet Sasuke's eye. "What did you say, scumbag?"

Sasuke doesn't even hesitate to aim and splash the two boys with his drink. Game on. It's _game on_.

…

He stands there with his hair tossed, a familiar Leatherman jacket over his shivering frame and blood pouring down his face. One from his forehead and one from a cut on his nose. He has the audacity to say a calm "Hey" like he's not fucked up in the face and probably elsewhere.

"Oh God," Sakura gapped, hands covering her mouth before it moves to grab the sides of his face. "Oh God, what happened?"

This is the worst shape she's ever seen him in. The two wrestling jerks didn't hold back any punches, not like Sasuke's cousins.

"I heard someone talking shit about you." He said, eyes now lowered to look away.

"What?" She said though it didn't sound like a question. It sounded more like disbelief.

He answered, "I got mad,"

The sight of him not being able to look her in the eye makes her want to cry. It feels like the world's gone mad.

Who could have thought?

 _Who could have **ever** thought_ the day Mighty Sasuke Uchiha would crumble and taint his damn reputation of not giving a shit would be the day he would choose to defend nerdy Sakura Haruno.

"You're such an idiot." Sakura told Sasuke.

Sasuke pauses. Just long enough to stare at her. Her baby fat has melted away and her hair now reaches the middle of her back. She's changed but he's still the same; always running away.

Sakura Haruno – honour roll student, lecturing rebellious Sasuke Uchiha. Ha! What a joke!

Sakura who seemed like the type to grow up to be a doctor or an astronaut or a judge in court. Not stay here, stuck in a small town filled with small minded people. He now knows that included himself, **the** Sasuke Uchiha, and everyone else here. His friends and her friends and their families. Everyone. Because Sakura Haruno was otherworldly while the people of Konoha were just themselves and will never amount to anything else besides that.

He chuckled to himself, "I know."

* * *

Sasuke remembers the conversation they had that night. He remembers pushing her buttons. He had remembered asking questions to things he didn't want to know because – _because_ , ignorance is bliss and he didn't want to believe it.

He had said, "It must have been annoying."

He had said, " _I_ must have been annoying."

'I' as in 'Sasuke Uchiha', Mr Tough guy, Bad boy on the block, this generation's James Dean. He. Him. His existence meddling in her life.

And she had agreed. **She agreed**. "You are annoying,"

And Sasuke remembers as he heard her reply, all he wanted to do was sink down and rest his head on her lap. Curl up and be vulnerable. To put her in the position where she'd had to take care of him. To rock him to sleep. To lull all six foot two of him to sleep.

But he couldn't. He couldn't.

Because she didn't deserve any of this hassle and didn't ask for any of this.

"I'll go now," He said instead.

And she didn't stop him. No, not this time. "Okay,"

"For good this time,"

"Okay,"

He freezes just before exiting through her window like he had for the past two-three-four – no, wait, five years. Sasuke asked, "Won't you stop me?"

"What's the point, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura said, angrier than he's ever seen her. He guesses she was officially done with his bullshit and empty threats of running away and blood soaked bandages. "You always end up here. You always say you'll go but you don't and I'm tired of it, Sasuke-kun. I'm tired. If you must go then just go already."

It's been five years. Five years of empty threats to run away. They are now eighteen and ready to leave for good. For college or university or a better future. If he wanted to, if Sasuke really wanted to, this would be the perfect opportunity because he's now legally an adult and doesn't need to take this shit from anyone anymore. Not his family who wants him to stay to run the Uchiha business, not his friends who will end up living here until Konoha is greyer than it is, not even himself.

"I'm sorry." He apologized and looked away.

She must have been so sick of patching him up. She must have been so sick of worrying. She must have been so sick of buying medicine and plasters and bandages for his never-ending gashes. He realizes he'd never paid her back for those things. All he's done is give break her heart by showing up looking like a piece of shit.

"I …" His throat clogs up. "Good-bye,"

.  
.  
.

He didn't come back.

* * *

**end**

**Author's Note:**

> – 10 December 2017 


End file.
